When discussing types of laser hair removal, the differences between alexandrite lasers, diode lasers, Nd: YAG lasers and ruby lasers are a trivial topic for most people, but choosing between them will mean the difference between amazing and perfect laser hair removal experience, and the terrible scarring procedure. Different types of lasers are available for different skin types, and a random selection of a particular method that may be wrong for you can lead to pain, burns, scarring and discoloration. The following are the types of lasers that are the most common laser hair removal systems.
When discussing types of laser hair removal, the differences between alexandrite lasers, diode lasers, Nd: YAG lasers and ruby lasers are a trivial topic for most people, but choosing between them will mean the difference between amazing and perfect laser hair removal experience, and the terrible scarring procedure. Different types of lasers are available for different skin types, and a random selection of a particular method that may be wrong for you can lead to pain, burns, scarring and discoloration. The following are the types of lasers that are the most common laser hair removal systems.
Ruby laser (wavelength 694 nm) is one of the most commonly used types of laser. A shorter wavelength often causes side effects, with changes in pigmentation most often occurring. One of the advantages of using a ruby laser is that it is effective for long-term laser hair removal. Laser equipment uses a cooling unit to reduce burn changes, and the procedure proceeds without pain, but has a slower repetition rate, which means that the processing time is longer than with other methods.
The use of an alexandrite laser (wavelength 755 nm) is the fastest hair removal method available to the consumer. Increased speed means that it is good for processing areas of the body with a larger surface area, for example, for the legs. Alexandrite laser is an excellent choice for people with a color spectrum close to white, but a bad choice for people with darker skin tones.
On the other hand, diode lasers (wavelengths of 800–810 nm) provide a longer wavelength of light to ensure much safer and controlled operation. This is due to the fact that the laser is able to penetrate deep into the patient's skin. Deep penetration allows the physician to focus on thinner hair follicles for a more thorough procedure. People with black and brown hair will see the most positive effects - this is not recommended for people with blond hair.
The ND: Yag laser (wavelength 1064 nm) is available for a wide range of skin tones. Most other types of lasers are only suitable for pale skin, but the Nd: YAG laser is also suitable for darker skin, including African American skin tones. The disadvantage of this procedure is that it is much more painful, because a longer pulse duration means that it penetrates deeper into the skin.
Choosing the right method for you should not be about which is the fastest or cheapest, but about making sure that you are not at risk of side effects. For example, people with dark skin are more prone to side effects, and it is more likely that the Nd: YAG laser option will be chosen. Discuss possible types of laser removal with the help of the clinic and make sure that the practitioner performing the treatment has a lot of experience in using laser type for your skin tone.
